When it comes to planning family getaways with teenagers, finding the right balance can be a challenge. 

They’re not little anymore (so your basic pool slide and kiddie crafts won’t cut it), but they still enjoy adventures and family traditions. Enter Oklahoma City’s brand-new OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark, the perfect year-round retreat for families looking to connect and explore new thrills together.

Opened in February 2025, OKANA, owned by the Chickasaw Nation, is filled with numerous instagram-worthy activities for your teens. It’s just a three-hour drive from Dallas-Fort Worth, so pack up the car for a quick road trip north and check out OKANA. 

Indoor Waterpark

OKANA’s indoor waterpark is always a balmy 82 degrees, making it ideal for a year-round destination. This 100,000-square-foot splash zone is filled with fun activities for the whole family. Your teens will love the surf simulator and thrilling waterslides while you drift along the lazy river or float in the wave pool. There’s even a heated pool where you can relax.

Adventure Lagoon

Adventure Lagoon is the resort’s 4.5-acre outdoor water park. This isn’t your typical hotel pool—it’s a full water experience with sandy beaches, water slides, an inflatable obstacle course, zip line and cabanas.

The outdoor lagoon, open from Memorial Day to Labor Day,  is lively during the day, with music and food service from the poolside bar, making it easy to spend hours soaking in the sun.

Pro Tip: Renting a cabana is a smart move. It gives everyone a home base to come back to between activities, and let’s be honest—you’ll appreciate a shady spot to lounge and enjoy a fruity frozen drink.

Dining at Okana

If your family vacations often turn into food tours, you’ll be in good company at OKANA. The resort has a mix of restaurants, ranging from quick bites to fine dining.

For quick bites, you’ll find:

• Water Byrd: serving up a variety of chicken dishes from sandwiches and wraps to strips and wings.
• Kaya: casual Asian street food
• Sliders: enjoy a traditional or smash burger with fries or tots
• Pie Lab: whole pizzas or by the slice
• Market 56: ideal for teens who need their lattes or stop by for a quick breakfast on the go with coffee and pastries

ProTip: For a quick bite at lunch, the chicken strips from Water Byrd by the outdoor lagoon are quite popular. If you find yourself at the indoor waterpark, the pizza can’t be beat!

For a nice, sit-down family dinner, try:

• Jack Rabbit: a pub serving elevated comfort food

• Smokehouse Social: your kids will enjoy eating delicious barbecue while playing sports simulation games
• Chido Tacos x Tequila: Mexican classics like tacos, fajitas, and margaritas

Entertainment Beyond Water

After spending all day in the water, your family will enjoy a little friendly competition at Okanarama!, a 20,000-square-foot entertainment center with arcade games, laser tag, a mirror maze and an escape room. Video games bring out the kid in all of us! Gen X is, after all, the first generation of gamers. (Here’s looking at you, Pong.)

Rooms & Suites at OKANA

When it’s time to turn in for the night, OKANA offers several choices in accommodations. The rooms are spacious, with views of the resort’s lagoon or the Oklahoma River, and perfect for spreading out—especially if you’re traveling with more than one young adult in tow. In addition to standard king and queen rooms, you’ll find suites with bunk beds and semi-private sleeping areas. We loved our roomy suite with a living area, semi-private bedroom with two queen beds and a separate private king bedroom. There were three 65” flat-screen TVs, so there’s no fighting over which show to watch before bedtime.

Our suite at the OKANA Resort. Video by Wendi Baird

The Takeaway

Traveling with older kids isn’t always easy. They want independence, adventure, and plenty of fodder for social media. OKANA Resort manages to deliver all of the above.

So next time your teenagers have a break from school and extracurriculars, consider heading north to Oklahoma City. At OKANA, you’ll find more than a resort. You’ll find an experience that is fun for both generations and create memories that will last beyond the latest social media post.

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Cover photo courtesy OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark

Wendi Baird is the Editor in Chief of Texas Lifestyle Magazine. A fifth-generation Texan, Wendi has a deep love for the Lone Star State and brings a rich perspective to the magazine’s coverage of travel, culture, and lifestyle across Texas and beyond. With a keen eye for detail and a genuine curiosity for people and places, she enjoys discovering hidden gems and sharing meaningful experiences through her writing.